Vanishing Breed1)
European mink2) once thrived3) along waterways throughout most of Europe.The fur of this small mammal is soft and beautiful.But some people believed the fur of its relative the American mink was more desirable.Fur farmers released thousands of American mink in eastern Europe,and they spread throughout Europe.In the wild,American mink chased the other species away from the best hunting grounds.Now just a few hundred European mink remain――making them Europe’s most endangered mammal4).To save the mink,scientists are establishing a breeding population of them on an island in the BALTIC SEA.Without help,says David Macdonald of Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit in England,the European mink is“heading for5) extinction6).”
逐漸消失的物種
歐洲鼬曾經(jīng)很興旺,遍布于歐洲大部分水域。這種小哺乳動物的皮毛柔軟漂亮。但有些人認為它的皮毛不及其親屬美洲鼬可取。皮毛經(jīng)營者在東歐放養(yǎng)了數(shù)以千計的美洲鼬,這些美洲鼬迅速遍及歐洲。在野外,美洲鼬將其他鼬種從最好的獵區(qū)逐出。目前只有幾百只歐洲鼬存活---這使它們成為歐洲最瀕于滅絕的哺乳動物。為拯救歐洲鼬,科學家在波羅地海的一個島上建立了飼養(yǎng)種群基地。英國牛津大學野生物種保護團體的戴維·麥克唐納說,如不挽救,歐洲鼬“將要滅絕”。
NOTE 注釋:
1. breed [bri:d] n. 物種, 種類
2. mink [miNk] n. 鼬(尤指水貂)
3. hrive [Wraiv] v. 興旺, 繁榮
4. mammal [5mAmEl] n. 哺乳動物
5. head for 導致
6. extinction [iks5tiNkFEn] n. 消失, 消滅